Your Trusted Plumbers in Miami Share the Most Common Plumbing Terms Every Homeowner Should Know

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Your Trusted Plumbers in Miami Share the Most Common Plumbing Terms Every Homeowner Should Know

By
Douglas Orr Plumbing Inc.
|May 15, 2014

Whether you’re planning on doing DIY plumbing repairs or hiring professional plumbers to do the job for you, it is wise to get familiar with the common trade terminologies. Knowledge of the plumbing system, its parts and what-nots will make you well-informed consumers. Imagine finding your faucet broken first thing in the morning. You want to try to fix it and so you disassemble it, finally learning in the process that the rubber thingy is worn out. You know that you need to replace it and so you go to the nearest plumbing supply shop to buy a new one. The only problem is that you don’t know what it’s called. Sounds familiar? Well, let’s cut to the chase. Today, we want to share with you some of the most common plumbing terminologies that you, as a homeowner, should know. Here they are:

1. Auger – It is a flexible piece of metal wire, also known as “toilet jack” or “electric eel”, that’s used to get rid of blockages in drains and toilets.

2. Plumbing Snake – It is another tool that’s used to remove blockages in the plumbing system. Designed as a thin, flexible wire, it is inserted into the pipe until it reaches the clog.

3. Ballcock – It is a valve in the toilet tank that’s responsible for refilling the system once water is drawn out from it.

3. Trip Lever – The lever you push whenever you flush your toilet.

4. Flapper – The rubber plug found at the bottom part of your toilet tank which is responsible for letting the water flow into the bowl when you flush.

5. Fitting – It comes in many sizes, shapes or styles and is in charge of connecting two pipes together.

6. Shutoff Valve – It is installed under the sink and toilet and controls the water supply in these plumbing fixtures. It is turned off during repairs and is also known as angle stop.

7. Main – This refers to your home’s main water supply source and is where all your water lines are connected to.

8. Clean-out Plug – It is a circular plug that features a square knob on its front. This serves as the entry point to the pipes in your plumbing system that’s mainly used to clear blockages.

9. O-Ring – It is a round washer that’s made of rubber and designed to seal valves.

10. Relief Valve – It is a valve in your hot water heater system that’s used to release temperature or pressure. This is also often referred to as the T&P valve.

11. Dip Tube – This tube is found inside your water heater that’s responsible for transporting cold water to the bottom of the tank.